1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to fishing jigs, more particularly to a fishing jig designed to carry fishing lures, leaders, and/or baits. The fishing jig is specifically designed to incorporate a fast release mechanism for releasing or reinstalling one or more sinkers thereon in a manner so as to hold the line or bait up off the bottom of the lake, stream, or river bed while trolling or drift fishing with the jig of the invention.
2. Description of the Related Art
Fishing has been practiced for millennia, both of necessity to gather food as well as for sport. While invariably fishing is accomplished with a line and a hook, refinements in the art or sport of fishing include specialized equipment, such as rods, reels, lines and jigs.
Many such specialized jigs exist for the fishing of specific species of fish, such as the trouts, basses and other species of fish. Fishing tackle has also been designed so as to more effectively for a particular type of fishing whether it be fly-fishing, trolling or bottom fishing.
The present invention is directed toward a more effective device for bottom fishing and/or trolling for such bottom feeding fish as walleye. As is well known, bottom feeding fish feed near the bottom of a body of water where rocks, sunken logs and other snags exist. Such obstacles can cause fouling of the jig or line, thus leading to a loss of one or both. Thus, there is great incentive to create a bottom fishing jig which is easier to manufacture and use than prior art devices while at the sam time minimizing the possibility that such jig will foul when bottom fishing or trolling near the bottom of a body of water.
Prior art efforts have included the provision of a weight, or sinker, on a fishing line to drag the line to the bottom of a body of water. The sinker is chosen so as to be of sufficient mass to hold the line or bait near the bottom. Depending upon rate of drift, or trolling speed, water current, wind and other conditions, such as the buoyancy of the bait or line, it may be necessary to increase number or mass of the sinkers. One such adjustable weight device is disclosed in U.S Pat. No. 3,461,597, which consists of a frame member having means for attachment to a fishing line including a weight holding elongated portion integral with the frame member at one end and having a "safety-pin" type catch at the other end whereby annular weights may be mounted on the elongated portion of the frame member. The adjustment of weight on a fishing line including the particular adjustable weight sinker of the aforementioned U.S. Pat. No. 3,461,597 are dependent on the judicious choice of the number or mass of the sinker to suit the particular current, rate of drift, and other conditions to place the bait or lure near the bottom and are not entirely satisfactory.
Other attempts of the prior art have included the presence of a depending rod downwardly extending from the fishing line so as to contact the bottom. In such a manner, it was hoped that such rod would position the bait or lure at a height above the bottom generally corresponding to the length of such rod. Such a device, as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,137,962, requires the use of a specialized sinker, made of buoyant material, or of a hollow shape so as to be buoyant, such that, the sinker will float if no movement of the jig through the water is achieved. When the jig is moved, a fin on the jig exerts a downward force causing the sinker to sink to a depth at which the free end of the rod engages the bottom. Like the use of the adjustable weight, the buoyant sinker of U.S. Pat. No. 3,137,962 is dependent on the conditions of speed of travel and thus is not entirely satisfactory for maintaining a lure or baited hook near the desired bottom feeding zone. Additionally, such specialized features as a buoyant sinker and fin increase the cost of manufacture of such jigs.
Many other attempts at providing fishing tackle utilize the idea of a depending rod as in U.S. Pat. No. 3,137,962. Such prior art devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,589,715, 4,161,838, 4,428,144, 4,467,550, 4,750,289 and 5,065,542. Each of the aforementioned U.S. Patents are expressly incorporated by reference in their entirety.
Such devices have not proved acceptable in that they are expensive to manufacture if adjustability in weight is desired. Further, unless specialized precautions are taken, loss of the weights utilized with such jigs can frequently occur.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,750,289 utilizes a clip member to secure a sinker to a jig. However, such clip can readily open resulting in loss of the sinker. In order to prevent such opening of the sinker retaining clip, patentee required the use of specialized sinkers having a groove adapted to engage the clip member. Even so, patentee found it necessary to bend the depending leg upon which the sinker was carried so as to prevent loss of the sinker upon inadvertent opening of the clip during use of the jig. Such bend changes the height of the line from the bottom, requires an extra manufacturing step to make the jig, and is awkward for the fisherman to place or remove sinkers from the jig.
Thus, it is object of the invention to overcome these drawbacks of the prior art devices and to provide an improved jig for trolling or drift fishing of bottom feeding fish species, such as walleyes.